It was a mixed weekend for the Irish team in Stadium Australia with double medal success for Tom Leahy and Catherine Walsh clouded by Patrice Dockery's disqualification from the 800 metres final last night.
On the day ticket sales broke the one million barrier, Leahy threw a lifetime best of 16.05 metres in the discus to claim silver in the cerebral palsy category. It gave the 42-year-old his seventh Paralympic medal in his fifth Games. If he can secure gold in Thursday's club event, the Corkman will have the full set.
Leahy's success came 24 hours after Catherine Walsh registered Ireland's first appearance on the medal table with bronze in the pentathlon. The visually impaired Dubliner gave a remarkable performance over the five events, recording personal bests in both the 100 metres and 800 metres.
Walsh went into the final event, the 800 metres, in fifth, needing to run well for any chance of a podium finish. Her time of 2:28.73 smashed her own record by nearly two seconds and put her into third. The delight among the Irish team was tempered by the disqualification of Patrice Dockery from a controversial 800 metres wheelchair final yesterday evening.
Huge crowds had gathered to witness Louise Sauvage's first medal bid, but it was marred by a nasty high-speed collision which forced three athletes to retire.
Canadian World Record holder Chantal Petitclerc went on to win but appeals and counter-appeals were lodged. After reviewing video footage race officials concluded the blame for the clash lay with Dockery.
The Beaumont racer, who had been able to finish the final in fifth place despite being knocked in the crash, was adamant she was not at fault but the decision stood. Officials noted she had also come out of her lane too early, enough for a disqualification in itself.
Under Paralympic rules the race will now be re-run, without the 29-year-old, on Thursday. Dockery must try to overcome her disappointment for this morning's 1500 metres heats.
In Rushcutters Bay, Ireland's sailors had a poor start to the three-handed sonar category. The team, led by John Twomey of Cork, were in 14th position after three legs of the nine-race regatta and facing an uphill struggle. But a first place in the fourth race, their second of the day, moved the team into eighth and, while they acknowledge more good work will be required, they are back in with a chance of a medal.
